EC6.5

Question 1

superfluous

superfluity (noun)

Answer 1

When editing research papers, it is crucial to remove superfluous information—details that do not add value to the main argument but only clutter the text.

Question 2

misnomer

a use of a wrong or inappropriate name

Answer 2

Calling Greenland “green” is actually a misnomer, since much of the island is covered by ice and snow, making the name misleading.

Question 3

adept

thoroughly proficient

adeptness

Answer 3

Chopin was so adept at the piano that by age ten, he was already impressing audiences, and by twelve, he had surpassed his own teacher’s skill.

Question 4

granular

finely detailed

granularity

Answer 4

Visitors to the Panorama of the Battle of Racławice in Wrocław are often amazed by its lifelike realism and the artists’ granular attention to detail, which brings the historic scene vividly to life.

Question 5

abate

reduce or lessen

abatement

Answer 5

After the initial surge of COVID-19 infections, strict lockdown measures were believed to abate the virus’s spread, leading to a noticeable drop in new cases.

Question 6

penultimate

next to last

Answer 6

The penultimate chapter of George Orwell’s 1984 reveals Winston’s psychological breaking point, right before the novel’s grim conclusion

Question 7

epistemic

related to knowledge
Professor Rich is convinced that the quest for epistemic certainty is a foolhardy one

epistemology
epistemically

Answer 7

In political debates, phrases like “I believe” or “it seems” are epistemic markers, signaling the speaker’s degree of certainty and how they frame their knowledge or assumptions.

Question 8

redact

censor or obscure (part of text) for legal or security purposes

redaction

Answer 8

During the Depp v. Heard defamation trial, several court documents were redacted to protect the privacy of witnesses, with entire lines blacked out from public view.

Question 9

vilify

speak ill, defame

vilification

Answer 9

In the 2022 trial, Johnny Depp argued that Amber Heard’s Washington Post op-ed vilified him by suggesting he was abusive, which he claimed ruined his career.

Question 10

subjectify

judgement based on individual personal impressions and feelings rather than external facts

subjectification

Answer 10

On social media, it’s common to see users subjectify public statements, interpreting neutral comments as personal attacks.